WEF, Colombian Government Announce Low-Carbon Investment Fund, Anti-Deforestation Commitment
The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Tropical Forest Alliance annual meeting just concluded in Bogotá, Colombia, and the WEF has announced a number of commitments that will contribute to the Alliance’s goal of protecting the world’s tropical rainforests.Finance Colombia, 13 May 2019
Colombia, Timber, tropical forest
Returning Felda to its glory days. Sixty-Three years ago, second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein set up Felda to eradicate poverty among Malay settlers by giving them govt land to work on
Once a multibillion-ringgit company, Felda is now burdened with a debt of RM10.2 billion accumulated over the last 10 years. Its new director-general, Datuk Dr Othman Omar, has a mammoth task.New Straits Times , 13 May 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, Malaysia
Pay up, or they give up
The row over the palm oil industry and the detrimental effects it has on the environment has intensified in recent weeks, fired up by the European Union’s plan to curb the use of palm oil in biofuels. Significantly, biofuels only emerged in the last decade or so as another use for palm oil as the world looked for renewable sources of energy.The Edge Markets , 13 May 2019
Europe, Palm Oil, EU
Head Topics reports: EU-Malaysia ties should stay strong despite palm oil issue, says ambassador
EU ambassador and head of delegation to Malaysia Maria Castillo Fernandez said it was open to dialogue with Malaysia to overcome differences on the matter.Head Topics , 12 May 2019
Europe, Malaysia, Palm Oil, EU
EU-Malaysia ties should stay strong despite palm oil issue, says ambassador
EU ambassador and head of delegation to Malaysia Maria Castillo Fernandez said it was open to dialogue with Malaysia to overcome differences on the matter.Head Topics , 12 May 2019
Europe, Malaysia, Palm Oil, EU
Malaysia's palm oil producers get into hard times
It was not a particularly good year for the Malaysian palm oil industry, as demand in its traditional markets had declined. In March, the European Commission came to the conclusion that palm oil would leak into fuel use by 2030 for environmental reasons.Newsbeezer, 12 May 2019
Malaysia, Europe, Palm Oil, EU
The Leaders Online reports: Palm oil issue would not crack Malaysia – EU ties
The European Union (EU) is optimistic that its relationship with Malaysia will remain strong even in the midst of the discord regarding the palm oil issue.The Leaders Online , 12 May 2019
Europe, Malaysia, Palm Oil, EU
EU’s Palm Oil Challenge: How Should Singapore Respond? – Analysis
Palm oil, a major commodity crop in the region, is likely to be phased out in the EU by 2030. Given the potential regional and transboundary implications, a Singapore-centric perspective can be helpful.Eurasia Review , 11 May 2019
Europe, Palm Oil, EU
Most Borneo villages don’t see oil-palm payoff
A new study analyzing living standards in over 5,000 villages in Indonesian Borneo finds that oil palm plantations can have good and bad impacts on villages, but those with intact forests suffer most.Asia Times , 11 May 2019
Indonesia, Palm Oil, indonesia
Government orders investigation into destruction of pine forest
Authorities in Lam Dong Province have started an investigation into the methodical destruction of almost 4,000 pine trees.VN Express , 11 May 2019
Viet Nam, Timber, vietnam
RSPO Facilitates Knowledge Exchange for Smallholders in Kalimantan
It involved 19 participants from Sabah, including smallholders from the Malaysian state, as well as staff members of Forever Sabah; the organisation facilitating the RSPO Jurisdictional Certification pilot in Sabah.RSPO, 10 May 2019
Indonesia, Palm Oil, indonesia
British upmarket retailer Selfridges strips palm oil from 300 own-brand products
High-end department store chain Selfridges is the second major British retailer to try to remove palm oil from its own-label products in a year. Palm oil’s major certification body RSPO says Selfridges decision is “unfortunate” and questions the sustainability of the oils it will use instead.Eco-Business , 10 May 2019
Europe, Palm Oil, europe
Malaysian minister ‘Palm oil is a deal-braker for EU-ASEAN trade relations’
Teresa Kok, Malaysia’s Minister of Primary Industries, visited Brussels and other European capitals this week in a last-ditch effort to kill new EU rules that will ban the use of palm oil in biofuels – a measure European adopted because of concerns about deforestation.Euractiv, 10 May 2019
Malaysia, Europe, Palm Oil, Palm oil
International agreements fail to protect Madagascar’s rosewood trees
Most loggers paid low wages never meet those financing their operations who can sell rosewood for as much as $20,000 to $25,000 per ton. It’s estimated that in 2013, $250 million to $300 million in illegal lumber, mainly rosewood, was exported from Madagascar. Although logging and exporting rosewood is illegal, government corruption and involvement of officials in the trade keeps enforcement of such laws low.Earth , 10 May 2019
Madagascar, Timber, illegal timber trade
‘Palm oil is a deal-braker for EU-ASEAN trade relations’
Teresa Kok, Malaysia’s Minister of Primary Industries, visited Brussels and other European capitals this week in a last-ditch effort to kill new EU rules that will ban the use of palm oil in biofuels – a measure European adopted because of concerns about deforestation.Euractiv , 10 May 2019
Asia, Europe, Palm Oil, biofuel
Vietnam & EU sign agreement on legal timber trade
The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a joint meeting on May 8 to announce the approval and ratification of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT).Vietnam Economic Times , 10 May 2019
Viet Nam, Timber, FLEGT
Vietnam & EU sign agreement on legal timber trade
The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a joint meeting on May 8 to announce the approval and ratification of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT).Vietnam & EU sign agreement on legal timber trade, 10 May 2019
Viet Nam, Europe, Timber, FLEGT
Corned beef being sourced from company linked to Amazon destruction
Friends of the Earth has traced supermarket corned beef to a meat company accused of violating rainforest-protection laws.Friends of The Earth, 10 May 2019
Brazil, Beef, Brazil
How committed are companies to sustainable palm oil?
A new report by World Wide Fund for Nature and Zoological Society of London reveals that one in five companies did not submit sustainability reports to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2018 while many remain far from being free from deforestation and exploitation.Eco-Business , 10 May 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, Palm oil
A New Report Urges the EU to Take Economic Action to Curb Amazon Deforestation
Environmental groups argue that Europe should use trade leverage to prevent the Brazilian government from furthering the destruction of the rainforest.Pacific Standard , 10 May 2019
Europe, Beef, Beef
Timber Laundering in Peru: The Mafia Within
The mafia that makes trafficking of illegally-sourced wood possible in Peru is not made up of timber trade outlaws. It is a network of corrupt officials.Insight Crime , 10 May 2019
Peru, Timber, south america
Envoy: We are not palm oil enemies
The European Union (EU) and France are not the enemies of palm oil and the market will continue to be open for the crop especially now with the Pakatan Harapan government's credible policies in safeguarding the environment.Pressreader, 10 May 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, Malaysia
KL says EU's proposed palm oil curbs a form of trade war
Malaysia has accused the European Union of launching a "trade war" over its plan to curb the use of palm oil in biofuels, and threatened retaliatory action at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).Pressreader, 10 May 2019
Malaysia, Europe, Palm Oil, Palm oil
RSPO Facilitates Knowledge Exchange for Smallholders in Kalimantan
It involved 19 participants from Sabah, including smallholders from the Malaysian state, as well as staff members of Forever Sabah; the organisation facilitating the RSPO Jurisdictional Certification pilot in Sabah.RSPO, 10 May 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, Malaysia
Call for Tenders for Research Proposal on Contribution of RSPO Certification to The Protection of Biodiversity in Oil Palm Plantations
RSPO would now like to invite interested parties to conduct a study to gain an understanding on the extent, and in what context, the RSPO’s Principles and Criteria (P&C) contributes to the protection (maintenance and improvement) of biodiversity in oil palm plantations.RSPO, 09 May 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, Palm oil